AB 1329, as introduced, V. Manuel Pérez. Hazardous waste: environmental justice.
Existing law requires the California Environmental Protection Agency to develop a strategy for identifying and addressing any gaps in existing programs, policies, or activities that may impede the achievement of environmental justice, as defined, and requires each board, department, and office within the agency to review its programs, policies, and activities and identify and address any gaps in its existing programs, policies, or activities that may impede the achievement of environmental justice. Existing law prohibits a person from accepting, treating, storing, or disposing of hazardous waste unless the person holds a hazardous waste facilities permit or authorization, or is operating under a permit-by-rule or a grant of conditional authorization or conditional exemption.
This bill would declare the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation to require the Department of Toxic Substances Control to develop a long-term plan to identify inequities in the siting of hazardous waste disposal facilities and provide for enforceable strategies to eliminate those inequities.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:
3(1) All hazardous waste disposal facilities in the state are located
4in or near low-income communities of color. The siting and
5operation of the state’s hazardous waste disposal facilities near
6only low-income minority communities disparately and adversely
7affects those communities.
8(2) California agencies have a responsibility to prevent racial
9and socio-economic disparities in the siting of harmful or noxious
10facilities. These agencies require tools to identify and address
11systemic barriers to achieving more equitable hazardous waste
12disposal outcomes.
13(3) A concerted plan to address these disparities is necessary to
14protect the civil rights of minority residents in the communities
15targeted for hazardous waste disposal and handling facilities.
16(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent
17legislation to require the Department of Toxic Substances Control
18to develop a long-term plan to identify inequities in the siting of
19hazardous waste disposal facilities and provide for enforceable
20strategies to eliminate those inequities.
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